The Porcupine district includes 20 closed sites in and around Timmins, Ontario.

Quick Facts

Location

Timmins, Ontario, Canada

Ownership

100%

Mines Closed

1961 through 2008

Status

Design, rehabilitation or monitoring depending on the site

When Goldcorp took over the Porcupine mine in 2002, it inherited dozens of historic underground and open pit mine properties spread over more than 30,000 hectares. Many of the sites are within the Timmins' city limits.

Rehabilitation of these sites is at various stages, but in every case, the old infrastructure is being demolished and properties are being reclaimed so the land can be used productively by the local communities.

Goldcorp’s work on the Hollinger mine is a showcase for site monitoring and communication. A publicly available website displays data from a network of noise, vibration, dust and weather monitors that are located around the Hollinger property, helping the company manage its impact on the local community. Read more about Hollinger.

In 2011, Goldcorp won the Tom Peters Memorial Mine Reclamation Award for its work on the lands affected by the Coniaurum mine. Restoration work stabilized the site, stopped suspended solids from the tailings area entering the Porcupine River and promoted other uses of the property. The use of biosolids as a cover and wild grasses promoted a self-sustaining environment, which encouraged the growth of other natural grass, shrub and tree species. This in turn attracted wildlife, including several black bears. Honey bees were introduced to promote additional pollination and plant development, which has increased the number of bee colonies and spawned a local honey industry.

Since 2008, Porcupine has hosted educational tours of the reclaimed sites and working with the local Aboriginal community on the application of traditional knowledge and practices to modern rehabilitation techniques.

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